Are you running out of home projects to keep busy during the quarantine? Here’s one my hubby made for me that you can try: a DYI Dripper. I’ve long wanted a bird dripper to complement my yard’s wildlife habitat, and with spring migrants on the way, I was keen to provide a drip that will […]
Read MoreYellow-billed Cuckoo(Coccyzus americanus)Family: Cuculidae Spring migration is often synonymous with the arrival of flashy yellow birds flitting through the treetops. But the Yellow-billed Cuckoo – our Beak of the Week – has only a little bit of yellow to add to the mix. Yellow-billed Cuckoos appear slender and clean-cut, with their upperparts brown and undersides […]
Read MoreNext time you visit Edith L. Moore Nature Sanctuary, you will notice 35 new native trees and shrubs, all marked with green tape. These new additions were procured and planted by Caleb Wilson, an intrepid young Boy Scout working to earn his Eagle Scout ranking. Caleb led a group of about 20 other scouts, students […]
Read MoreAmerican Redstart (Setophaga ruticilla)Family: Parulidae It’s a monarch butterfly, it’s a flying jack-o-lantern, no it’s an American Redstart! The mature male American Redstart looks like it’s perpetually dressed for Halloween with its stark black head, breast, back, wings, and tail, and bright orange patches on the flanks, wings, and sides of the tail to contrast […]
Read MorePrescribed Fire for Habitat ManagementPete Deichmann, Coastal Sanctuaries Manager On March 5, 2020, we executed a prescribed fire at Bolivar Flats Shorebird Sanctuary with our friends at US Fish and Wildlife Service and Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. March 5, 2020Bolivar Flats Shorebird SanctuaryTemperature – 55 degrees Relative humidity – 60% Surface winds – Northeast at 21 […]
Read MoreIndigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea)Family: CardinalidaeFeeling blue because you’ve been staying inside all the time recently? You’re not alone! Indigo Buntings spend all of their time outside, and they’re quite blue too. Indigo Buntings are in the same family as Cardinals and Grosbeaks – a group that includes many vibrantly colored species. However, Indigo Buntings are […]
Read MoreRaise your hand if you have said or wanted to say CORVID-19 at least once. For some of us bird nerds at Houston Audubon, corvids have been on our minds lately (the corvid family consist of jays, crows, ravens, and magpies). We were also interested to find that there are 19 species of corvid found […]
Read MoreHooded Warbler (Setophaga citrina)Family: Parulidae Spring has arrived, and so have Hooded Warblers. You may have noticed this beautiful warbler hopping about and flashing its light-edged tail feathers in shrubs near you. The males of this species are yellow, have a darker yellow back and tail, and a distinct black “hood.” The females and immature […]
Read MoreSpring Native Plant GardeningSarah Flournoy, March 18, 2020 We rushed back home from a trip cut short last week to find our garden popping with blooms. Since then, we’ve been happily adjusting, trimming, photographing, and making plans for more yard updates as we revel in our creation. We sit on the back patio with binoculars, […]
Read MorePrairie Warbler (Setophaga discolor)Family: Parulidae Now that it’s officially the second half of March, we’re all getting excited because warbler migration season is almost here! Some warblers are beginning to show up around Houston already, and we’re looking forward to seeing them all in our sanctuaries (and backyards) again. Warblers are always a sure sign […]
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